Windbowibtg-machine



J. C. CORBIN. wLNDRowlNG MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED OV. 11. 1918.

1 ,32 1 ,72 1 Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1720812232: John 'oz'iz.

9 wwbme J. C. CORBIN.

WNDROWING MACHINE.

APPucATloN HLED Nov. 11. 1918.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jak L rz'iz. W* I I. C. GORBIN.

WINDROWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION F|LED Nov. 11, 1918.

1 ,821,721 Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

4 sHEETs sHE`ET 8.

i. C. CORBEN.

'WINDROWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11| 1918.

1,3215721 Pand Nov. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JOHN CURRY CORIBIN, OF NAPOLEONVILLE, LOUISIANA.

WINDROWINGr-MACHINE.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 11, 1919.

p Application filed November 11, 1918. Serial No. 261,948.

T0 aZZ 'whom it may conccrn Be it known that I, JOHN CURRY CORBIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Naoleonville, in the parish of Assumption and btate of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in `Windrowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for wind-rowing sugar cane for the purpose of `Cutting the same either for use as seed cane, or 'to protect the same, as far as possible, against deterioration after it has been killed by frost. i

The purpose of the invention is to cut a pair of adjacent rows of cane close to the ground and deposit the stalks, with the leaves and trash attached, into the furrow between said rows, thus forming what is known as a wind-row Various machines have been devised for the purpose of-not only Cutting the cane near the ground, but of also stripping the trash from the stalks and Cutting off the green tops, with the attached leaves, from the upper ends of the stalks; but such machines have been found diflicult, if not impracticable, for use, for the reason that the stalks of the sugar cane are apt to be blown down and then to grow up in a crooked form, forming a tangled mass, the 'single stalks of which could not be stripped and topped, as far as I am aware, by any of the machines now known.

Furthermore, cane stalks are apt to be of a very uneven height, so that if the machine be set to cut off the tops for any given height, an eXcess of length of thev longer stalks would be removed, while the shorter stalks would be left with a large part of the green portion and of the green leaves attached, so that the results from such cutting and topping machines have hitherto been very unsatisfactory.

According to my invention I do not attempt either to strip the stalks of the trash, or to cut ofi the tops with the green leaves attached thereto; but I merely design to cut the stalks close to the ground vand deposit the same as smoothly as practicable from two adjacent rows into a single trench, thus accomplishing by machine work what has hitherto been largely efizected by cane cutters using cane knives and Operating by hand.`

My invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar' parts are indicated by like reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the completemachine, parts, such as the driver7s seat, the hoisting drum, one of the front guards, and other attachments, being omitted for the sake of clearness in the drawings, parts being shown in section, and one of the side guards being removed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the machine.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view, on a larger scale, showing a section along` the broken line 4-11 of Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 shows a section along the line 5-5 of F ig. 4 and shows the saw in plan.

A represents the main frame of the machine supported upon the traction Wheels B and the steering wheel D, which wheels are of narrow gage and adapted to travel in the trench between the adjacent rows, as shown in Fig. 3.

The traction wheels B are mounted on the aXle C beneath the main frame; and the' steering` wheel D'is journaled in the yoke D' mounted beneath the turn-table D2 and rotated by the sprocket chain D3, engaging the sprocket pinion D4, controlled by the hand wheel D5. i w

E represents the driving engine which may be of any suitable or preferred type. I have shown this engine, diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2.

Power is communicated from this driving engine to the machine in any convenient way, as by means of the drive shaft E' carrying` the fiy wheel E2, which shaft carries the bevel pinion F meshing in the bevel pinion F' carried by the shaft F0, which shaft carries the sprocket gear F2 meshing in the K carrying the fly wheel M, to which the i' links L are eccentrically pivoted as at 'ma These links are connectedto the levers N pivoted to the main framework at n and having their lower arms slotted as at a' to receive' the slidingblocks N' to which the pivot pins o' of the saws O are connected. These saws consist of a fiat sheet of metal dentated as shown in Fig. '5, and reinforced at the'back with a strip o. I

It will be seen, as shown in Fin'. 4, that the rotation of the fiy wheel M will reciprocate these saws as indicated in full and dotted lines in said figure. These saws slide through I bearings in the shoes P and P' which straddle the cane rows X, and these shoes are reinforced with side plates p and ;0', as shown most clearly 1n Fig. 4. These plates are connected to the main frame and to the transverse channel lron A2 rlgldly attached to said main frame by means of the bracket Q., or in any other convenient way.

R represents the-outer guard for the cane. stalks, mounted on its frame R', which is shown in the form of a rod bent to form an inverted U-shape loop, as shown most clearly in, Fig. 1; and the inner guard for the stalks f comprises a plate S bent inward at the front as at 8, so as to tend to deflect the cane from from 'the ltwo adj'acent rows to the middle vbetween the rows, I provide two rearl guards the middle between the rows outward so that the cane stalks would be directed between the guards S and R and may be cut vat the bottom bv the saws, as will be hereinafterdescribed. o I w .In order to direct the cut stalks of cane T which are preferably made of sheet metal 'mounted on a suitable framework T', which framework is hinged to the channel beam I A2 by means of the hinges t and t'. These -two rear guards. may be tilted upward .through a sufiicient angle by means of the leve'rs U and the lifting ropes or chain U' 'I The operation of the device is as follows:

'nie 'machine is driven forward in the direction of the arrows lndicated in Fig. 2, with the: drlve Wheels B m the furrow bei tween the two adjacent rows of cane. The

curved ends 78 'will tend to press the stalks away from the center between the rows, and the guards R will tend to direct thestalks i from the onposite side of the row into the throat where the saws are reciprocating.

The forward motion of the vehcile will cause thefsaw'szto reciprocate, and, as the machine advances, the saws will cut ofi' the stalks near the level of the top of the row, and the tops of the stalks will fall backward against the rear guards which will direct the stalks into a single continuous heap in the furrow in rear of the machine as it advances, thus forming what is known as a o wind-row.

The cane may be left'in this fallen and piled up condition or, if desired, each edge may be covered by a layer of dirt thrown from a plow, or otherwise, thus in a large measure protecting the cane juice from fermentation owing to heat and atmospheric influences.

In order to turn the machine it may be dcsirable to tilt up the rear end of the rear guards T; this may be done by means of the ropes or chains and the levers U.

Any tendency of the machine to tilt unduly will be corrected bv means of the wheels W and Shoes P and P'.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described apparatus and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, eXcept as particularly pointed out in the claims: Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A cane wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into a single trench or furrow, comprising a main frame and an engine carried thereby, narrow gage wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adj acent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame, said shoes being provided with guideways therein, inner front guards carried at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, outer guards carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating in the guideways in said shoes, means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, and inclined rear guards for the cane stalks adapted to direct the cut stalks from both rows into a single continuous pile in the `trench between adjacent cane rows, substantially as described.

2. A cane wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into a' single trench or furrow, comprising a' main frame and an engine carried thereby, narrow gage wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, said shoes being provided with guideways therein, outer guards ear- -ried by the outerv member of each pair of into a single trench or furrow, comprising a mam frame and an engine carried thereby,

narrow gage Wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame, said shoes being provided with guideways therein, inner front guards carried at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, outer guards in the form of in'verted U-shaped loops carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating in the guideways in Said shoes, means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, and inclined rear guards for the cane stalks adapted to direct the cut stalks from both rows into a single continuous pile in the trench between adj acent cane rows, substantially as described.

4. A cane wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into a single trench or furrow, comprising a main frame and an engine carried thereby, narrow gage Wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, said shoes being provided with guideways therein, outer guards in the form of inverted U-shaped loops carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating in the guideways in said shoes, means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, and inclined rear guards for the cane stalks adapted to direct the cut stalks from both rows into a single continuous pile in the trench between adj acent cane rows, with means for tilting the'rear ends of said rear guards upward, when desired, substantially as described.

5. A cane wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into a single trench or furrow, comprising a main frame and an engine carried thereby, narrow gage Wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame, said shoes being provided With guideways therein, inner front guards carried at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, outer guards carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocatngl in the guideways in said shoes, means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, spud Wheels journaled on said frame outside of the outer shoes, and inclined rear guards 'for the cane stalks adapted to direct the cut stalks from both rows into a single oontinuous pile in the trench between adjacent Vcane rows, substantially as described.

t6. A cane wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into a single trench or furrow, com-V shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame and 'inclined inwardly in front thereof, said shoes being provided with guideways therein, outer' guards carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating in the guideways in said shoes, means operated -by said engine for reciprocating said saws,'spud Wheels journaled on said frame outside of the outer shoes, and inclined rear guards for the cane stalks adapted to direct the cut stalks from both rows into a single continuous pile in the trench between adjacent cane rows, with means for tilting the rear ends of said rear guards upward, when desired, substantially as described.

7. A cane wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into awsingle trench or furrow, comprising a main frame and an engine carried thereby, narrow gage Wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame, said shoes being provided with guideways therein, inner front guards carried at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, outer guardsv in the form of inverted U-shaped loops carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating in the guideways in said shoes, means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, spud Wheels journaled on said frame outside of the outer shoes, and inclined rear guards for the cane stalks adapted to direct the cut stalks from both rows into a single continuous pile in the trench between adjacent cane rows, .substantially as described.

8. A cane Wind-rowing machine adapted to direct the cut stalks from two rows of cane into a single trench or furrow, comprising a main frame and an engine carried thereby, narrow gage Wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of f shoes'monn'ted, respeotive'ly, at each side of 1 Said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, said shoes being provided with guideways therein,V outer gnards in the o form of inverted U-shaped'loops carried by lthe onter'member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating 1n the guldeways 1n sald shoes,

means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, spnd wheels'jonrnaled on said frame,` outside o f the o'uter shoes, and

inclined rear w guards for the cane stalks adapted to directl the cut stalks from both 'rows into a single continno11s pile in the i 'trench between adJaeent cane rows, wlth V15V means for ,tilting'the rear ends of said rear guards upward, when desired, snbstantially as described.

a main framevand an engine carried thereby, ;narrow gage Wheels snpportmg sald frame and adapted to pass in the .trench between Vadjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of'said main frame, said shoes being lprovided with guideways therein, innerfront guards carriedfat each' side of' said main frame and 'inclined' inwardly thereof, outer' guards in thereby, narrow gage wheels supporting said frame and adapted to pass in the trench between adjacent rows of cane, pairs of shoes mounted, respectively, at each side of said main frame and inclined inwardly in front thereof, said shoes being provided with gnideways therein, outer guards in the form of inverted U-shaped loops carried by the outer member of each pair of shoes, saws reciprocating in the guideways in' said shoes, means operated by said engine for reciprocating said saws, and means for direeting the cane stalks into a single continuous pile in the trench between adjacent cane rows, when desired, substantially as JOHN CURRY CORBIN.

. described.

I'opev otthi natent inay be obtainefl l forr five cents each, by addressing the Commssioner of ratents.

' Washington, D. O." i 

